Department for Transport

Transport: Finance

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what precedents, if any, there are for capital cost awards of over £25 million for publicly-funded transport operations.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department’s capital budget is for spend on transport infrastructure and is therefore not spent on the costs of operating the transport system. However, the Department does provide some capital funding to transport operators, such as train operating companies, to spend towards infrastructure investments such as depots and car parks.

Bridges: Barcombe

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Amco Giffen have been contracted to infill Barcombe Bridge on 12 August; and if so, what is the value of the contract.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Neither Amco Giffen nor any other supplier has been contracted to infill Barcombe Bridge on 12 August 2021 or on any other date. All infill works to Barcombe Bridge have been paused since July 2021.

Railways

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their integrated rail plan.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department intends to publish the Integrated Rail Plan very soon.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Euston Station

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 4 November (HL3335), how many deep piles from buildings on the line of HS2 tunnels between Euston and Old Oak Common have been identified.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Studies completed have not identified any deep piles from buildings in direct conflict with the HS2 tunnels between Old Oak Common and Euston. The tunnels between Old Oak Common and Euston will be constructed using tunnel boring machines designed to minimise any impact on buildings and monitoring of the buildings will be undertaken during the tunnelling works.

Euston Station

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 4 November (HL3335), whether a grade separation design on the Euston approaches is still required; and if so, which one.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: A grade separated junction is required on the approach to the Euston HS2 Station. The grade separation is achieved by the provision of a tunnelled Crossover Cavern on the Euston approaches which allows the Upline trains to pass under the Downline trains in separate tunnels.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Euston Station

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 4 November (HL3335), whether the total number of trains planned for HS2 at Euston has changed since the publication ofHigh Speed Two: From Concept to Realityon 17 July 2017.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: No decisions have yet been taken on the train services that will operate after HS2 services start running. These decisions will be taken nearer the time, drawing on advice from West Coast Partnership Development and Network Rail, and will be subject to public consultation.

Railways: Freight

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in the last six months to use trains to transport freight (1) to compensate for the shortage of HGV drivers, and (2) to reduce the emissions caused by HGVs.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Pursuant to the answer of 16/11/2021 to question HL3612 “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken in the last six months to make it easier for railways to replace trips made by Heavy Goods Vehicles”: Government continues to work closely with Network Rail (NR) and Freight Operating Companies (FOCs) to maximise rail freight’s role in supporting resilient supply chains. The Government has recently added £0.5 million more to the existing £20 million Mode Shift Revenue Support (MSRS) grant scheme for 2021/22. This will reduce the total number of HGV journeys by an additional 29,000.The Government recently published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP) – the first such plan in the world – which sets out our plans to deliver a Net Zero transport system by 2050. The TDP has clearly outlined the Government’s support for the growth of the rail freight sector as well as modal shift of freight from road to rail. In addition, we are committed to introducing a rail freight growth target, but this should not become a ceiling. Through the 2021 First of a Kind competition, we are funding an ongoing project which is focusing on providing better and more accurate location information to make the transition of freight between modes more efficient at terminals.

Electric Vehicles: Charging Points

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need for more charging points for electric vehicles in rural parts of the country; and what steps they are taking in response to any such assessment.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) is available to all UK local authorities, including those with rural areas, to apply to and provide public chargepoints for their residents without access to private parking. £20 million is available in 2021-22. More broadly, the Government has committed over £1.3 billion for charging infrastructure. This funding includes the Local EV Infrastructure Fund, which will be opened to English local authorities next year. This fund will facilitate the roll-out of larger scale charging infrastructure projects across the country. To support local authorities in accessing this financial support and developing EV chargepoint strategies, DfT funds Energy Saving Trust to offer expert advice. Energy Saving Trust, in partnership with DfT, also hosts a library of webinars and guidance for local authorities on installing charging points. This includes webinars specifically for rural local authorities. Later this year the Government will publish the EV Infrastructure Strategy which will define our vision for the continued roll-out of a world-leading charging infrastructure network across the whole of the UK, including rural areas. It will also set out roles and responsibilities for ensuring charging infrastructure rollout is delivered at the pace needed to transition to a zero-emission car and van fleet.

Electric Vehicles: Charging Points

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the number of electric car charging points in rural parts of England.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department has committed over £1.3 billion to accelerate the roll out of charging infrastructure on motorways and major A roads, in homes and businesses and on-street. This funding includes the Local EV Infrastructure Fund, which will be available to English local authorities in 2022/3. This fund will facilitate the roll-out of larger scale charging infrastructure projects across the country.Local authorities in rural areas are also able to take advantage of the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme, which assists them with the cost of installing chargepoints on residential streets for their residents without access to private parking.To support local authorities in accessing this funding, DfT funds Energy Saving Trust to offer expert advice on EV charging and support on developing EV strategies. Energy Saving Trust, in partnership with DfT, also hosts a library of webinars and guidance for local authorities on installing charging points. This includes webinars specifically for rural local authorities.

Electric Scooters: Safety

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conclusions of the interim report by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety The safety of e-scooters, published on 31 October; and whether they plan to undertake research on the safety of privately owned e-scooters.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department welcomes the contribution of PACTS to the evidence base we are gathering. We are currently undertaking an independent evaluation of the e-scooter trials to examine the progress and impact of the trials across England. A number of trial areas are running long term rental schemes, and the evidence collected through these rental trials will give transferrable insights into private use. We are planning to publish our interim report, containing preliminary findings from the evaluation of the trials, in winter 2021.

Shipping: Safety

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the extent to which the UK's maritime legislation relies on other countries implementing international convention on marine safety, and (2) whether a failure to transpose international convention requirements into domestic law has inhibited the enforcement of marine safety in UK waters.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The UK does not rely on enforcement of maritime legislation by other countries. In a case of non-compliance with an international convention requirement that has not yet been implemented into domestic law, the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 provides other means of enforcement if the breach of the convention requirement comprises a safety risk. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) may detain a ship, under section 95 of the above Act, if it is considered to be dangerously unsafe, or it is undermanned, under section 49. Non-compliance with a detention notice is an offence under section 284. Where an owner of a ship fails to take all reasonable steps to operate the ship in a safe manner, a prosecution may be brought under section 100; where the owner and master operate a dangerously unsafe ship, under section 98; and for undermanning, under section 49. In addition, anyone going to sea as a qualified officer or seaman where they are not so qualified, is also guilty of an offence, under section 52. These provisions are regularly relied on by the MCA.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Business: Coronavirus

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they are providing to businesses about applications to the relief funds announced in March 2020.

Lord Callanan: The Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF), both announced in the 11 March 2020 Budget, have supported many thousands of small businesses through this challenging period.The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) provided financial support to smaller businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). This scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2021. Guidance on how to apply for this scheme was published on 23 March 2020. This guidance was withdrawn on 1 April 2021 after the scheme had closed to new applications, but is still available to read Guidance on the above schemes, a well as guidance from 18 March 2020 on whether a business is eligible for business rates relief, is available on the GOV.UK website.

Help to Grow Scheme

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand the Help to Grow scheme to allow businesses with fewer than five employees to participate.

Lord Callanan: The Help to Grow Management and Digital schemes have been designed to support business with more than five employees to increase their productivity. There are currently no plans to change the criteria relating to the number of employees, but the schemes will be regularly reviewed to ensure they effectively support businesses and deliver the intended boost to productivity.

Nuclear Power: Wales

Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to restart generating nuclear power at the former sites at (1) Trawsfynydd, and (2) Wylfa.

Lord Callanan: The Magnox reactors at these sites are being decommissioned by Magnox Ltd, a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The UK civil nuclear sector is developer led, therefore it’s for potential developers to bring credible proposals to Government. Government remains open to new nuclear projects with any viable companies and investors wishing to develop sites in the UK including Wylfa Newydd and Trawsfynydd.The Government is clear in its recently published Net Zero Strategy that nuclear is an important part of our plans to achieve net zero. The Government has set out a new £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund towards the development of nuclear projects. More details of the Fund and how it will operate will be released in due course.

Department of Health and Social Care

Doctors and Nurses: Recruitment

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of extra (1) doctors, and (2) nurses, that will be needed to clear backlogs in the NHS.

Lord Kamall: The Government plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to tackle elective waiting lists. We are working closely with NHS England and NHS Improvement to develop a plan for how that funding will be used, including workforce requirements.

Children: Protection

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include pregnant women whose children are likely to need a care plan from birth in the Child Protection – Information Sharing Project.

Lord Kamall: Unborn children on a protection plan can be on the Children Protection – Information Sharing system with the pregnant woman’s National Health Service number.

Chest Binding

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practice of chest binding; and whether there are any restrictions on the advertising of chest binders.

Lord Kamall: No formal assessment has been made. The Advertising Standards Authority are responsible for the regulation of advertising in the United Kingdom. Their codes outline the standards which advertisers must adhere to when producing marketing or advertising content. Currently there are no formal restrictions for the restrictions on advertising of chest binding or products associated with chest binding.

Doctors: Pensions

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theimpact of pension rules on the (1) reduction in clinical hours, and (2) early retirement, of senior doctors.

Lord Kamall: As an individual may choose to reduce their working hours or take early retirement for a range of reasons, it is not possible to isolate the impact of any single factor such as pension rules. However, we continue to monitor the retirement patterns and hours worked by senior doctors. The available evidence does not suggest any substantial change in consultant working hours. NHS Digital workforce statistics show the participation rate or average contracted hours per person, has been stable for several years. Data from the NHS Business Services Authority, which administer the NHS Pension Scheme, shows that number of consultants taking voluntary early retirement as a proportion of all consultant retirements has not changed significantly over the last five years. A small but significant portion of senior doctors will amass pensions in excess of their allowances for tax-free pension saving. Last year, the Government addressed this issue by increasing thresholds by £90,000 to remove all staff with earnings below £200,000 from the scope of the taper. An estimated 96% of general practitioners and 98% of consultants are out of scope of the taper based on their National Health Service earnings.

Endoscopy: Finance

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the £2.3 billion announced by theChancellor of the Exchequer to transform diagnostic services will be used to implement the recommendations from Sir Mike Richards 2020 review of services to rebuild and expand endoscopy services.

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to respond to the Sir Mike Richards 2020 review of services, which found that (1) 20 NHS trusts require a complete rebuild of their endoscopy facilities, and (2) 200 new endoscopy rooms are needed to meet rising patient needs.

Lord Kamall: The National Health Service is transforming diagnostics services in line with the recommendations from Sir Mike Richards’ Review: Diagnostics Recovery and Renewal, including rolling out at least 100 Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) by 2024/25. The Government has made £2.3 billion available to support this transformation over the next three years. The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with Regions and local systems to determine how the funding will be divided across diagnostics services. The amount for improving endoscopy services specifically and how these services will be improved is still being finalised. The funding is on top of the £325 million announced for this year, which is supporting the roll out of over 40 CDCs across England, many of which will provide additional endoscopy capacity.

Anaesthetics: Labour Turnover

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report published by the Royal College of Anaesthetists Working together to improve retention in anaesthesia,published on 30 September, in particular its finding that "1 in 4 Consultants and 1 in 5 SAS Anaesthetists planned to leave the NHS within five years"; and what steps they intend to take to promote the retention of NHS staff.

Lord Kamall: The Government appreciates the dedication and contribution of Anaesthetists to our National Health Service. As of the end of July 2021, we saw an increase of 2.3% in full time equivalent (FTE) doctors and 2.0% FTE Specialty doctors and associate specialist doctors working in the NHS in the specialism of anaesthetics compared to a year ago. The NHS England and NHS Improvement National Retention Programme team are engaging with the Royal College of Anaesthetists to agree a way forward to implement the report’s recommendations. The NHS retention programme is using data to continuously understand why NHS staff leave, resulting in targeted interventions to encourage them to stay, with a particular focus on colleagues closer to retirement and those at the start of the career. These include: pension support, access to a range of health and wellbeing initiatives, flexible working opportunities, mentoring and coaching as well as targeted training such as the Health Education England programme “Enhancing Junior Doctors Working Lives” which encourages doctors to stay in training.

NHS: Staff

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much additional funding announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review they are committing to build a bigger and better NHS workforce.

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government which specialties will receive the additional funding announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review to build a bigger and better NHS workforce.

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the additional funding announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review to build a bigger and better NHS workforce will be distributed.

Lord Kamall: The Department is working closely with Health Education England and NHS England and NHS Improvement to develop detailed workforce spending plans in the coming months. The Government has committed to training some of the biggest undergraduate intakes of medical and nursing students ever. In addition, we will be training more midwives and allied health professionals, who are key to delivering the full range of services to the National Health Service. We have already seen significant increases to the NHS workforce, with 20% more NHS staff in Hospital and Community Health Services since June 2011, and over 21,000 more full time equivalent nurses in the NHS since June 2019. We recognise there is more to be done however, and a key part of ensuring there are sufficient specialists is training more people who can join the NHS. This is why we remain committed to delivering the government commitment of 50,000 additional nurses.

Anaesthetics: Staff

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to fund additional higher anaesthetic training places as part of this year’s Spending Review; and what assessment they have made of (1) the current staffing level of anaesthetists, and (2) the costs of relying on (a) agency, and (b) bank, staff to fill any shortages.

Lord Kamall: Following the outcome of the Spending Review 2021, spending plans for individual budgets for 2022/2023 to 2024/2025 inclusive, including for training posts for higher anaesthetics and other specialities, will be subject to a detailed financial planning exercise and finalised in due course.At the end of July 2021 there were 13,012 full time equivalent doctors working in the NHS in the specialism of anaesthetics, an increase of 293 (2.3%) since July 2020. This includes trainees, specialists and doctors on other contracts.Data on agency and bank usage for anaesthetists is not available, as it is not collected or held by NHS England and NHS Improvement to specialty level.

Lung Diseases: Health Services

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to tackle the backlogs in (1) respiratory care, (2) respiratory diagnosis, and (3) referrals for urgent care for people with lung conditions.

Lord Kamall: NHS England and Improvement (NHSEI) has worked with local leaders to update its plans and priorities, including for respiratory services, with a renewed focus on continuing the recovery of non-COVID care and tackling long waits.The priorities in recovery of services includes tackling the COVID backlog for non-urgent treatment such as eliminating waits of two years or more, stopping the increase in one year plus waits, and stabilising total waiting lists.£1.5 billion is being made available to help local teams increase their capacity and invest in other proven measures to achieve these goals.There has been no official assessment made on the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on waiting times for respiratory diagnostic appointments. However, the NHS is determined to tackle backlogs and is taking steps to restore services and improve waiting times as a priority, including services for respiratory patients. This year, we are providing a record amount of funding to the NHS, which includes £2 billion to help tackle the backlog that built up during the pandemic. We have also committed £8 billion over the next three years to step up elective activity and transform elective services.Elective waiting lists, which include those with respiratory symptoms, are managed at system as well as trust level. Digital solutions are available to ensure the most clinically urgent patients are managed first, which will help improve waiting times.

Lung Diseases: Health Services

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to tackle the backlogs in (1) respiratory care, (2) respiratory diagnosis, and (3) referrals for urgent care, for those with lung conditions.

Lord Kamall: NHS England and Improvement (NHSEI) has worked with local leaders to update its plans and priorities, including for respiratory services, with a renewed focus on continuing the recovery of non-COVID care and tackling long waits.The priorities in recovery of services includes tackling the COVID backlog for non-urgent treatment such as eliminating waits of two years or more, stopping the increase in one year plus waits, and stabilising total waiting lists.£1.5 billion is being made available to help local teams increase their capacity and invest in other proven measures to achieve these goals.There has been no official assessment made on the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on waiting times for respiratory diagnostic appointments. However, the NHS is determined to tackle backlogs and is taking steps to restore services and improve waiting times as a priority, including services for respiratory patients. This year, we are providing a record amount of funding to the NHS, which includes £2 billion to help tackle the backlog that built up during the pandemic. We have also committed £8 billion over the next three years to step up elective activity and transform elective services.Elective waiting lists, which include those with respiratory symptoms, are managed at system as well as trust level. Digital solutions are available to ensure the most clinically urgent patients are managed first, which will help improve waiting times.

Nurses: Migrant Workers

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of the numbers of nurses recruited from (1) Ghana, (2) Nigeria, and (3) other Commonwealth countries in the last three years for which data exists in order to fill the vacancies in the NHS in England.

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the impact on health care in (1) Ghana, (2) Nigeria, and (3) other Commonwealth countries, of the recruitment by the NHS of nurses from these countries.

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to compensate (1) Ghana, (2) Nigeria, and (3) other Commonwealth countries, for the training costs of nurses recruited from these countries to fill vacancies in the NHS in England.

Lord Kamall: Information on the number of nurses recruited internationally by the National Health Service (NHS) is not collected centrally.

Department for Education

Faith Schools: Admissions

Lord Taverne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of schools practising religiously selective admissions; what proportion of school places are subject to such selection; and what plans they have, if any, to include this information in school statistics.

Baroness Barran: Over one third of state funded schools in England are designated as having a religious character, although not all include faith-based oversubscription criteria in their admission arrangements. The department does not collect information on the number of schools that include faith-based criteria in their admission arrangements, nor the proportion of places allocated on the basis of faith. We have no plans to collect this information or to include this information in school statistics.

Arts: Secondary Education

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that their £90 million support-funding pledge for the arts and creative development in secondary schools is met.

Baroness Barran: The government is committed to high-quality education for all pupils, and integral to this are the arts and music. With the significant disruption and impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on children’s learning and their lives, the department’s priorities have inevitably had to focus on education recovery over the next three years. In this context, creating a stand-alone Arts Premium was not the priority at this Spending Review. The department is providing schools with a cash increase of £1,500 per pupil by financial year 2024-25 compared to 2019-20, as well as a total of almost £5 billion for education recovery, which will make sure all schools are able to deliver a broad and ambitious curriculum and enrichment activities, including in the arts. The department will also continue to invest around £115 million per annum in cultural education over the next three years, through our music, arts and heritage programmes, including Music Education Hubs. We will continue to work closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and engage with Arts Council England and other stakeholders to ensure we are making the best use of our funding and reach by aligning on priorities for children and young people.

Free School Meals

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the criteria for children to qualify for free school meals.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to provide meals during school holidays for pupils who qualify for free school meals.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to arrange for restaurants and cafes to provide children who qualify for free school meals with meals during school holidays.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children in England currently receive free school meals.

Baroness Barran: Free school meal (FSM) eligibility criteria is a devolved policy. In England, under the benefits-based criteria, 1.7 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal. An additional 1.3 million infant aged children can also access a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime, following the introduction of the Universal Infant Free School Meal policy in 2014.Under the benefits-based criteria, to be eligible to receive FSMs, a pupil or their parent must be in receipt of specific welfare benefits and must make a claim to the school for FSMs. The criteria are available at: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.Schools provide free school meals for eligible pupils during term time. Beyond that, billions of pounds of welfare assistance is in place to support families and children. Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak and during the period in which schools were largely closed, the department funded around £450 million supermarket vouchers through the National Voucher Scheme. Since November 2020, the Department for Work and Pensions has put in place funding to support vulnerable households across the country. The latest fund is the DWPs £500 million Household Support Fund to help families and individuals with essentials over the coming months as the country continues its recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak. This fund will allow local authorities to directly help the hardest-hit families and individuals with daily needs such as food, clothing and utilities.The recent Budget also confirmed the continuation of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, with an investment of over £200 million per year. Operated through local authorities and taking place in schools and community venues across England, national delivery began at Easter 2021 and has run across the summer and will run in the Christmas holidays. It supports disadvantaged pupils and their families with enriching activities, providing them with healthy food, helping them to learn new skills, providing physical activity, nutritional education, and supporting socialisation and well-being. Local authorities are required to operate against the core HAF objectives including the provision of food that meets the school food standards but have freedom to determine the delivery approach, for example working with local partners, businesses and supermarkets.

Teachers

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) teaching unions, and (2) the devolved administrations, regarding making teaching a more attractive profession in all four nations of the United Kingdom.

Baroness Barran: Recruitment and retention of teachers is a devolved matter. Ministers and officials from the Department for Education regularly engage with the teaching unions and hold UK wide discussions on issues around the recruitment and retention of teachers.It is for each nation to develop its own recruitment and retention policies to meet local and national need. In England, the department published a recruitment and retention strategy in 2019 which was co-designed with stakeholders, including teaching unions. We regularly and routinely meet with teaching unions to discuss the implementation of our strategy. Engagement with stakeholders, such as teaching unions is a key part of our policy development and delivery processes.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Females

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the safety of women in prison.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Safety of prisoners in our custody is a key priority. We have established a Women’s Estate Self-Harm taskforce which is co-ordinating longer-term work to address the factors driving self-harm. Our Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) model is transforming how we support prisoners and significant investments have been made to recruit an additional 2,500 prison officers to improve safety and deliver key work. In April 2021 we began implementing a gender specific OMiC model in the women’s estate.The Challenge, Intervention and Support Plan (CSIP) is also in place for the effective case management of those prisoners who are at a raised risk of violence towards other prisoners. While the newly revised version of the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) framework includes a stronger person-centred approach and improved focus on risks, triggers, and protective factors.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Afghanistan: Forced Marriage

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent reports of young Afghan girls being sold into marriage.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, particularly its impact on the most vulnerable, including women and girls. We are concerned by the practice of forced marriage in Afghanistan, particularly for children, and that more women and girls could be sold into marriage as the humanitarian situation worsens. We continue to closely monitor the situation.

Afghanistan: Forced Marriage

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to respond to reports of young Afghan girls being sold into marriage.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Prime Minister announced the allocation of £50 million on 31 October to provide life-saving food, emergency health services, and shelter and warm clothing to help vulnerable people prepare for winter. It will also be used to provide support for victims of gender-based violence and essential child protection services. Aid agencies will prioritise those most at risk including households headed by women and disabled people. We have made human rights and access for humanitarian response a central feature of all of our contact with the Taliban to date.

Armenia: Genocide

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to fulfil their treaty obligations to the 1948 Genocide Convention (1) to prevent, and (2) to protect, the Armenian people from genocide.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK takes its moral and legal obligations seriously, and is fully committed to focusing on conflict prevention as the best means to prevent most mass atrocities. HMG adopts a consolidated, whole-of-government effort, using our diplomatic, development, defence and law enforcement capabilities, to help find pathways to global peace and stability. It is the long-standing policy of the British Government than any judgement as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. The UK is fully committed to the principle that there must be no impunity for the most serious international crimes.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan regarding that government’s incursions in the Armenian provinces of (1) Syunik, and (2) Gegharkunik.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government is closely monitoring the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Through the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and bilateral engagement in Baku and Yerevan, UK officials continue to urge the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to settle all outstanding matters including the peaceful negotiation of their borders.

Sudan: Politics and Government

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, if any, to the government of Sudan  regarding the detention of civilians working for the previous transitional government; and what plans they have to support a future coalition government involving civil society.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We strongly condemn the actions of the Sudanese military on 25 October, including to detain Prime Minister Hamdok and members of the civilian government and declare a State of Emergency. The Foreign Secretary made a statement on 5 November calling for the release of all those unlawfully detained and restoration of the civilian-led transitional government, which followed a similar statement made with our Sudan Quad partners (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and US) on 3 November. We expressed our condemnation at a UN Security Council meeting on 26 October, as well as during a Special Session at the UN Human Rights Council we secured on 5 November which also adopted a resolution making clear that Sudan's civilian-led government must be restored, detainees freed, and human rights respected. Our Ambassador to Khartoum and other members of the diplomatic community in Khartoum have met with Prime Minister Hamdok to demonstrate UK support for his release. On 9 November Troika (UK, Norway and US) ambassadors met with General Burhan to urge the military to reverse their actions.Sudanese civil society played an important role in the 2019 protests and we welcome their continued efforts towards ensuring the success of the transition since the revolution. It is crucial that the prominent role of civil society in Sudan's democratic transition continues. With our international partners we continue to maintain public international pressure on the military to return to the democratic transition in order to deliver the freedom, peace and justice called for by the Sudanese people.

USA: Nuclear Weapons

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United States of America regarding its review of its nuclear arms policy.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Nuclear cooperation remains an important element of the enduring special relationship between the US and the UK. The Foreign and Defence Secretaries hold regular discussions with their US counterparts on a range of issues, including on security policy. These discussions are reflected and supported by daily cooperation at official level on arms control, nuclear deterrence policy, counter proliferation and strategic stability between the UK and the US, as well as by wider cooperation with NATO Allies. We will continue to work closely with the US on security policy, including nuclear deterrence policy.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Harrassment

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to eliminate (1) sexual harassment, (2) physical assault, and (3) bullying, suffered by female members of the armed forces.

Baroness Goldie: Unacceptable behaviour is not tolerated in the Armed Forces, and anyone failing to meet our values and standards will be dealt with robustly, including being subject to police investigations and dismissal where appropriate. Defence is working to prevent and tackle all forms of unacceptable behaviour, including sexual harassment and bullying. In June 2021 we updated our policy on behaviour which sets out our expectations. We have issued an information booklet on sexual harassment, which includes guidance on how to recognise it and what to do if personnel experience, witness or wish to report it. Mandatory training in the Armed Forces has been updated as recommended in the Wigston Review into inappropriate behaviour and we have introduced Active Bystander Training to equip people with the skills to intervene should they witness incidents. A training package is currently being developed to share the lived experience of all people within Defence more broadly. Defence is consistently communicating on matters related to culture and behaviour to drive change, using opportunities such as National Inclusion Week and Anti-Bullying Week to raise awareness. Physical assault is likely to be a criminal offence – where any kind of physical assault is reported by individuals of any gender as a victim or witness, the Service Police will investigate it. The forthcoming response to the HCDC Women in Defence report will deliver more detail on what work we are doing in Defence to improve the lived experience of women who serve.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Coastal Areas: Sea Level

Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they have allocated to protect maritime communities in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland, from the effects of rising sea levels.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government is responsible for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, this responsibility rests with the devolved governments. This Government is investing a record £5.2 billion in flood and coastal erosion risk management schemes in England. Of this, approximately £1.6 billion will be spent on protecting coastal communities.

Nature Conservation

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply fromLord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 21 June 2021 (HL Deb, col 116), what progress they have made in identifying how they will objectively measure their performance in improving access to nature.

Lord Benyon: As set out in the response given by My Rt Hon Friend, Lord Goldsmith, the Government recognises the current evidence demonstrating the benefits of engaging with nature for people’s physical and mental health and the benefits a long-term target would have. However, further evidence is needed to support the establishment of any such target. Initial scoping work has already been undertaken on possible metrics, but further development is needed. This work is ongoing. Natural England’s England-wide map of green infrastructure will be launched in December as part of the emerging National Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards. This includes mapping of accessible natural greenspace which will help identify priorities for creation and enhancement, including to address inequalities in access to greenspace.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Migrant Workers

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many HGV drivers have been recruited under the new visa scheme announced at the end of September; and how many of those recruited are fuel tank drivers.

Lord Benyon: 4700 visas will be available for HGV drivers delivering food ahead of Christmas 2021. This temporary visa scheme began processing visas in mid-October. Any discussions or data held by businesses or scheme operators are commercially sensitive. Separately, in a further step to manage supply chain pressures in the short term, the Government has introduced a bespoke scheme allowing up to 300 fuel tanker drivers to the UK on a temporary basis.

Compost: Peat

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to banthe sale of peat based compost in the horticulture sector; and if so, when.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to end their use of UK sourced peat-based compost.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have had with Forestry England to ensure that peat free composts are used in their growing nurseries.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In the England Peat Action Plan, we have committed to undertake a full consultation in 2021 on banning the sale of peat and peat-containing products in the amateur sector by the end of this Parliament, and on an ambitious date for the professional sector. All Government departments and their related organisations must make sure that they meet the minimum mandatory Government Buying Standards when buying goods and services. We also encourage the wider public sector to specify the minimum mandatory standards in tenders. The relevant buying standards for horticultural products can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainable-procurement-the-gbs-for-horticulture-and-park-services and include a mandatory requirement not to purchase growing media containing peat. Forestry England currently uses peat-based growing media only in strictly limited circumstances where there is no current alternative product and where it is necessary to continue production of some of our most vulnerable trees, including several native broadleaf species. For example, alder and birch have, historically, not grown well in peat-free media; trials are planned to understand the reasons and identify the best alternative growing medium for these species. However, Forestry England has committed to end the purchase of peat-based growing media by the end of this Parliament, well in advance of the rest of the professional sector. In order to achieve this ambitious commitment, Forestry England is continuing to lead the way, actively testing and trialling the use of non-peat growing media alternatives and aiming to provide the wider sector with confidence in these alternatives. This is crucial to supporting these emerging products and supporting the phase out of peat from the wider industry as a whole.

Home Office

Asylum: Napier Barracks

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the definition of an accommodation centre applied by the Home Office; and what are the reasons Napier Barracks is not classified as such.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government is considering introducing full-board accommodation centres, as provided for in Part 2 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. These are expected to provide long term support for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute and have the appropriate services and facilities in place at the site for that purpose.The centres will therefore differ from the full-board accommodation facilities that are currently used to provide temporary support to individuals until they are moved to flats or houses (“dispersal accommodation”), or the contingency accommodation currently provided at Napier and in various hotels across the UK because of the shortage of dispersal accommodation.

PKK

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ruling by Belgium's Court of Cassation that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is not a terrorist organisation; and what plans they have, if any, to remove the PKK from their register of terrorist organisations.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: It is Government policy not to comment on whether a group is under consideration for proscription or deproscription.Partiya Karkeren Kurdistani (PKK) has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK since 2001. It is listed internationally, including by the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.The Terrorism Act 2000 allows the Home Secretary to proscribe a group, if she has a reasonable belief that the group is currently concerned in terrorism, and it must be a proportionate action to take. It is this statutory test which the Government applies when considering whether to proscribe an organisation or maintain an extant listing.

Interpol: UK Delegations

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government who is the head of the UK delegation to the General Assembly of INTERPOL.

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government which candidate, if any, they intend to support at the election for the new President of the General Assembly of INTERPOL on 21 November.

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they make, if any, of a nation’s adherence to the rule of law in determining who to support in elections held by INTERPOL.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK delegation to the General Assembly of INTERPOL, which will be held in Turkey from 23-25 November, will be led by Stephen Rodhouse, Director General of Operations in the National Crime Agency (NCA).Proportionate due diligence is undertaken into individuals seeking election to the role of INTERPOL President. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.

Interpol: Staff

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK citizens are employed by the General Secretariat of INTERPOL; and how many of these are serving police officers.

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government which bodythey have appointed to be the National Central Bureau of the UK, as required by Article 32 of the INTERPOL constitution.

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current UK financial contribution to INTERPOL, in relation to (1) membership subscriptions, and (2) other gifts, grants and subsidies.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office does not hold information on the number UK citizens permanently employed by INTERPOL. Currently seven UK officials are seconded to INTERPOL, four of which are law enforcement officers. In the UK, the National Crime Agency (NCA) acts as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL. INTERPOL receives statutory contributions from member countries. In 2021, the UK’s financial contribution to INTERPOL was € 2,875,173 Euros(approximately £2,461,205.59 GBP). Additional contributions to specific projects are agreed between UK Government Departments and INTERPOL on an ad hoc basis. Information on INTERPOL’s funding is published by the INTERPOL General Secretariat (IPSG) and can be accessed on the Interpol.int website.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Buildings: Solar Power

Earl Cathcart: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to require all new (1) homes, and (2) industrial and commercial buildings, to have sufficient solar panels to meet the energy demands of that building.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government remains committed to meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2050 and recognises the important contribution that the energy efficiency of buildings has to make in meeting it. We must ensure that the energy efficiency standards we set through the Building Regulations for new homes put us on track to meet the 2050 target. From 2021, new homes will be expected to produce 31% less CO2 emissions compared to current standards, and from 2025, the Future Homes Standard will ensure that new homes produce at least 75% lower CO2 emissions compared to those built to current standards. We have also proposed an uplift in standards for new non-domestic buildings in 2021, and from 2025, the Future Buildings Standard will produce highly efficient non-domestic buildings which use low-carbon heat and have the best fabric standards possible.The future is likely to see a mix of low carbon technologies used for heating and it is unlikely that there will be a one-size-fits all solution, so multiple technologies will play a role. We expect heat pumps will become the primary heating technology for new buildings under the Future Homes and Buildings Standards and that heat networks will also have an important role to play. There will also be a role, where appropriate, for other low-carbon technologies and renewable electricity generation such as solar photovoltaics. The Building Regulations will continue to set a performance-based standard rather than mandating or banning the use of any technologies. This provides builders and developers with the flexibility to innovate and select the most practical and cost-effective solutions appropriate in any development. For example, many roofs are not suitable for solar photovoltaic panels because of the visual amenity, strength, or direction of the building.

Housing: Construction

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of the benefits of creating a custom and self-build housing delivery unit within Homes England.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to promote awareness of the Right to Build scheme.

Lord Greenhalgh: The promotion of further awareness of the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended), sometimes known colloquially as ‘the Right to Build’, and the creation of a custom and self-build housing delivery unit within Homes England, form part of the recommendations set out in Richard Bacon MP’s ‘Independent review into scaling up self-build and custom housebuilding’ commissioned by the Prime Minister and published on 21 August. The Government is currently considering the recommendations and will publish a response as soon as possible.

Buildings: Land Drainage

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all new (1) residential, and (2) commercial, developments have Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems in their designs.

Lord Greenhalgh: There is a clear expectation in the National Planning Policy Framework for the provision of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in all new major developments, unless demonstrated to be inappropriate. The Framework also expects SuDS to be given priority in developments in flood risk areas.Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) sets out further detail on SuDS options that favour non-sewer solutions and recognises the multiple benefits SuDS can provide including mitigating flood risk.Furthermore, the Government has committed to undertake a review of the case for implementing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 concerning SuDS. This review will look at methods for ensuring that SuDS are incorporated in future developments. The review commenced in October 2021 and is expected to be published in August 2022.

Vagrancy Act 1824

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish their review of the Vagrancy Act 1824.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is clear that no one should be criminalised simply for having nowhere to live and the time has come to reconsider the Vagrancy Act.Work is ongoing to look at this complex issue and it is important that we look carefully at all options.We will update on our findings in due course.

Education: Holocaust

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Prime Minister's Holocaust Commission Report, published on 27 January 2015, what steps they are taking towards implementing its recommendations.

Lord Greenhalgh: The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation has been established to advise the Government on the recommendations made by the Holocaust Commission in their 2015 report. Good progress is being made with the implementation of that report and updates on specific elements will be provided at the appropriate time.

Cabinet Office

Equal Pay: Gender Recognition

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the amount by which the gender pay gap has been narrowed by the inclusion of biological men who identify as women in the same statistical category as biological women.

Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond. Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician The Rt Hon. the Lord BlencathraHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW 16 November 2021 Dear Lord Blencathra, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate they have made, if any, of the amount by which the gender pay gap has been narrowed by the inclusion of biological men who identify as women in the same statistical category as biological women (HL3757). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes the annual Gender Pay Gap statistics; the latest data for 2021 was published on 26 October (1). These data are formed from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), for which employers are asked to supply pay levels for a 1% sample of employees taken from the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) system. ASHE does not collect information on either sex or gender directly. This information is taken from the PAYE data supplied by HMRC for the sample, provided to them by employers in respect of their employees (2). This means that we do not currently have data on the earnings of transgender people (those whose gender identity is different from their sex registered at birth). In October 2020, I commissioned an independent Inclusive Data Taskforce to recommend how best to make a step-change in the inclusivity of UK data and evidence. Its report identified transgender people as among those about whom the absence of data reflecting their lives and experiences was especially critical (3). Following the inclusion of a gender identity question for the first time in Census 2021, we will have more data about this population than ever before. The first results from Census 2021 will be available in late spring 2022, followed by further statistical and analytical publications, including on gender identity. When census data processing is complete, the ONS will explore what insights about the experiences of transgender people can be gained based on the census and other data. (1) https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/genderpaygapintheuk/2021 (2) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-paye-tools-user-guide/basic-paye-tools-user-guide#Employee_details(3) Inclusive Data Taskforce recommendations report: Leaving no one behind – How can we be more inclusive in our data? – UK Statistics Authority Yours sincerely, Professor Sir Ian Diamond UKSA Letter Response to PQHL3757 (pdf, 110.9KB)

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gambling: Money Laundering

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times gambling companies have paid compensation for failing to prevent money laundering when an individual criminally convicted of theft used stolen funds to gamble; and what was the total amount paid by gambling companies in such cases.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Gambling Commission can fine a gambling operator if a licence condition has been breached. In some circumstances, the Commission may decide to agree a regulatory settlement instead of issuing a fine. While fines are paid to the exchequer, regulatory settlements are divested by the company to third parties. In circumstances where a victim of crime can be identified, for example an employer whose money was stolen by someone who went on to gamble with those funds, the Commission would expect funds to be divested back to the employer.The information we hold shows that in the last three years, the Commission has required four operators to pay compensation to victims where stolen funds have been used to gamble and an individual has been criminally convicted. The total amount paid by each gambling company is as follows:Betway - £5,068,577Gamesys - £460,472Platinum Gaming - £629,420Petfre - £140,000In addition to these figures, all regulatory actions taken by the Gambling Commission are accessible on their Public Register which may be found at the following link.

Gambling: Twitter

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Bristol University What are the odds? The appeal of gambling adverts to children and young persons on twitter, published on 26 October; and particularly the findings that (1) the majority of gambling advertisements were twice as likely to appeal to children as older adults, and (2) nearly half of children and almost three quarters of young people saw gambling adverts on Twitter almost once per week

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation from the report by Bristol University What are the odds? The appeal of gambling adverts to children and young persons on twitter, published on 26 October, that there should be an opt-in requirement to receive gambling advertisements on social media.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Government is carrying out a Review of the Gambling Act 2005 and is looking closely at the evidence regarding the impacts of allowing operators to advertise, including on social media. It will consider the research conducted by Bristol University carefully as part of that Review.All gambling advertising, wherever it appears, is subject to strict controls on content and placement. Gambling operators advertising online, including on social media, must abide by the advertising codes issued by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Gambling Commission may take enforcement action against them if they do not. The CAP consulted earlier this year on proposals to strengthen the codes and further limit the presence of gambling adverts for the protection of children and vulnerable people. Changes to safeguard vulnerable adults were announced this summer, and the full outcome is to be announced before the end of the year.Following work with the Gambling Commission, the industry has also committed to make better use of advertising technology to target adverts away from children on social media. The Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising now requires operators to ensure paid-for advertising is targeted only at those over 25 years old on social media and to age-gate operator YouTube channels and content.The Government is also looking more broadly at how online advertising is regulated through the Online Advertising Programme, which will be launching a public consultation this year. Our aim is to foster fair, accountable and ethical online advertising that works for individuals, businesses and society as a whole.